True, who worked at the IRS Service Center in Andover, Mass., has been an IRS employee for more than 22 years and is currently a Lead Contact Representative who responds to difficult and complex taxpayer inquiries.
She is accused of filing more than 590 tax returns for herself and other taxpayers between 2012 and 2017, in violation of IRS rules which prohibits its employees from preparing tax returns for compensation. True allegedly received between $40 and $100 per return, the vast majority prepared on her personal computer using TaxAct software.
An IRS investigation reportedly found that from about February 2018 through April 15, 2018 True prepared at least seventy 1040 returns that included a wide variety of false information, including false expenses of various types and unmerited child and dependent care credits. The report said many clients did not know she used false information.
True is also accused of preparing a personal return for tax year 2014 that claimed seven dependents, including one who was not a dependent and had paid True to prepare her return. The taxpayer had not given True permission to claim her as a dependent.
If convicted, she faces a sentence of up to 20 years for the wire fraud charge, along with three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.